Many multi-pin electrical connectors comprise a socket and a plug, each of which is composed of a socket body and a plug body inside which both house a block of insulating material together with the male or female connecting pins.
In many such connectors, a ring is mounted on the plug body by being screw threaded or by means of cams, sloped so that rotation of the ring, engaged on ribs on the socket body simultaneously causes the plug body to move towards the socket body with maximum insertion of the male pins into the female pins.
In order to permit that assembly, the male and female pins occupy precise radial and angular positions so that each male pin can be placed in the axis of its corresponding female pin, to the exclusion of any other position and, to this end, matching alignment grooves are provided on the socket and plug bodies.
However, in order to permit assembly of the plug on the socket, it is also necessary for the ring to occupy a precise angular position in relation to the plug on the socket. Otherwise, there could be an incomplete insertion of the male pins into the female pins.
In a typical multi-pin connector, a pin of each terminal projects forward from each terminal cavity and into a common blind bore or chamber defined by a forward projecting circumferential encasement or shroud of the male connector portion. The female connector portion of the electrical connector houses the series of pin receptacles which communicate through a leading end of the female connector portion. For a reliable electrical connection, each pin receptacle must align with its respective pin of the terminal of the male connector portion. When the electrical connector is mated, the leading end portion of the female connector portion fits into the chamber of the male connector portion and is thus guided by the circumferential encasement.
However, during the manufacturing phase and/or handling of a wire harness, which is engaged to the male connector portion of the multi-pin electrical connector, the exposed protruding pins of the terminals can potentially be knocked or bent, or debris may enter the chamber of the male connector portion which results in the inability of the terminals to connect electronically within the pin receptacles of the female connector portions. Moreover, the manufacturing dimensional variances between the terminals and the male connector portion housing may cause the terminals to pivot slightly within the housing, and the distal ends of the pins to become misaligned with the receptacles.
To prevent the movement of the pins many electrical connectors use a primary lock. The primary lock is adapted to accommodate a plurality of pins in the electrical connector and, in the instances where numerous pins are used, a plurality of primary locks may be used. However, very often, the primary lock may become damaged or worn and the pins are again susceptible to damage caused by bending and misalignment.
Thus, a need exists in the art to address the aforementioned deficiencies and inadequacies associated with the loss of a primary lock in a multi-pin electrical connector to maintain stability and integrity of the pins.